Marie
by angellwings
Summary: Rogue meets a very attractive stranger while working as a waitress in a diner. Set after The Last Stand. Might write a second part if people like it.


**A/N:** I haven't written an X-Men fic in ages! The second story I posted on (under my old pen name) was an X-Men story. I recently rediscovered my love for the characters and automatically had this bunny. Enjoy!

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Marie

By angellwings

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Rogue had thought that the "cure" would fix everything, but it hadn't. Even with the ability to touch Bobby still began to lost interest, and, honestly, so did she. She knew heartbreak was eminent if they stayed to together just to stay together so she broke it off. At least this way there was a possibility they could be friends some time down the road.

Once things with Bobby ended Rogue hit the road again. Storm kept giving her these accusatory glances. The ones that made her feel like a dirty traitor. The looks that made her wish the professor was still around. He would understand. It didn't mean he would approve, but he would understand. Storm didn't understand, and Rogue couldn't take it.

At first she thought she would go back to Mississippi and visit her aunt and uncle. They did raise her after all, and she hadn't spoken to them since she left six years ago. She quickly changed her mind when she reached home though. Her aunt and uncle were happy and safe, and with the path her life had taken she would probably only put them in some sort of danger.

So she went further south. She decided to settle in a small town outside of New Orleans where she had landed a waitressing gig at a local diner. She had gone back to going by Marie. She wasn't Rogue anymore. She wanted to be Marie again. She bought herself a new wardrobe. She bought plenty of clothes that allowed her to show skin. She hadn't been able to do that for six years and now she was going to enjoy it.

She was becoming the sort of woman she used to hate. The skin bearing vixen who enjoyed the occasional one night stand. The bit of Logan's psyche that was stuck in her head had taken to lecturing her twenty four hours a day now. She had gotten very good at ignoring him and all the other psyches trapped inside her mind (including a very mopey Bobby and a very angry John.) It was the only way to maintain her sanity.

She enjoyed her new lifestyle, even if it did mean she was a little bit of a floozy. She walked into work that morning and immediately spotted a long haired Cajun sitting at one of her tables. He was staring her down. She had to admit that he was very handsome, and he had this dark air of mystery about him that made him undeniably attractive. He was older than her. He appeared to be around the age Logan looked.

Speaking of Logan, she still had his dog tags. He gave them to her when she left. It had become their way of promising to see each other again. She was wearing them now under waitress uniform. She grabbed a coffee pot and headed over to the Cajun's table.

"Anything I can get for you, sir?" She asked.

He smirked and quirked an eyebrow at her, "Maybe."

She grinned, "Anything to eat or drink, I mean."

"Oh, well in that case I'll have a ham and cheese omelet and a cup of black coffee," he said slyly. "Oh and, Chere…"

She gave him a questioning glance as she poured his coffee, "Don't forget the hot sauce."

The way his eyes traveled up and down her body was so masculine and appealing that it was almost sinful.

"Sugar, you _are_ the hot sauce," She muttered to herself as she made her way to put in his order.

No man had ever looked at her like _that_. It was more than just lustful or adoring. He looked like he wanted to swallow her whole. Like he wanted to possess her in every sense of the word. Bobby had certainly never looked at her like _that_. It caused her heart beat to quicken and made her cheeks flush. She felt a thrill and a chill up her spine at the same time. A look that intense excited and scared her all at once. For all she knew this guy was a serial killer and what scared her was that she didn't care. She didn't care a single bit. His eyes followed her where ever she went. No matter what table she served she could feel him watching her.

She came back to his table a few minutes later with his omelet and the coffee pot in order to give him a refill. She bent over to do so and as she did Logan's dog tags slipped out from under the collar of her uniform. He quickly read them.

"Wolverine," He read aloud. His gaze narrowed, "Hey, wait a minute. I think I know that guy. Logan, right?"

Her eyes widened and she whispered, "You know Logan?"

He nodded, "Why are you whispering?"

She blinked. She honestly had no idea why she was whispering. Maybe it was her pathetic attempt at keeping Rogue and Marie separate, "Sorry."

"You must be pretty close to him if you have his dog tags…boyfriend?"

She grimaced, "Lord no. More like older brother or doting uncle."

He smiled, "Good. So no boyfriend?"

She smirked, "Why do you want to know?"

He shrugged and winked at her, "Gambit's just curious, Chere. That's all."

"You just spoke in third person."

He cleared his throat, "Sorry, it's a habit I'm trying to break."

"Well, enjoy your omelet…Gambit," She smiled.

"I don't believe I got your name," He said hopefully.

"You're right, you didn't," Rogue smirked before she walked away.

"Gambit don't give up that easy, Chere," He muttered under his breath with a wicked grin. "You'll see."


End file.
